how does the dining plan work?

[lalaland101]

I'm planning on getting 3 Deluxe Dining Plans for 3 adults for our 8 day stay (+2 kids, no dining plan, see explanation below). So that would be 72 table service credits and 48 snack credits.

What does it mean when they say the credits are "pooled"? Don't we all get our own Key to the World passes, so we can charge our meals there?

Can I use 2 table service credits per meal? I've been getting feedbacks that kids meal servings are quite small, so I might not buy dining plans for the kids, but rather use the adults' credits. For example, we don't plan on eating breakfast at restaurants so that would give us 3 extra table service credits per day that I can use for the kids. Also, do they have qualms in regards to sharing (I'm not talking about buffets, of course =p)?

 

[ancestry]

Everyone on the same reservation has to be on the same dining plan. If the adults in the room are on the plan then the kids will have to be as well. You can't get it for the adults and not for the kids.

Pooled means everyone on the same reservations has all of their dining plans credits put together on their key to the world card. If you are rooming with another adult, lets say a friend, you can access her credits and she yours assuming that you are under the same reservation number.

 

[vcgirl925]

Right, everyone on the same reservation is on the same pooled plan.

 

[vicki_c]

Depending on when your trip is (as in, if it's soon), you should make sure you can get enough reservations to use up all your dining credits BEFORE you add and pay for the dining plan, especially the deluxe plan. You don't want to get there and find out you're losing money because you don't have enough places to eat.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can't buy more meals at one time than you have people listed on your reservation. If you have two adults and two children, you will be able to buy two adult meals and two children's menu meals at one time, no more. (Of course if you really want you can order extra meals - but you won't be able to pay for them with dining credits.)

In your case, if you had three adults listed on your key card, you would be able to use dining credits to purchase a maximum of three adult meals on each transaction. Any othe rmeals you bought would be paid with cash.

This thread has an FAQ for the dining plan:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2054845

If you buy a dining plan for the adults on the reservation, you must also buy the same dining plan for the kids. Disney does not sell partial dining plans. All persons on the reservation must be on the same plan for the full length of the stay.

 

[adamtraci]

do kids under 3 eat free?

 

[TDC Nala]

do kids under 3 eat free?

Children under 3 are not eligible for the dining plan. They don't always eat "free." They aren't charged at any buffets or all you can eat family style/fixed menu places, so they can eat as much as they want there. At a la carte or CS restaurants, they are permitted to share off the rest of the family's plates. Anything you want to buy specifically for them at an a la carte or a CS, you will be charged for.

 

[lalaland101]

okay thanks!

is it okay though to share my meals with them? can we, for example, order 2 adults meals and 2 children's and then share?

am i restricted to eating 1 breakfast/lunch/dinner per day? i know you dont have to use up 3 credits per person per day, but can i have, say, 2 dinners in a day? i've looked at the restaurant hours and i noticed some of them open at around 4pm and some don't close til around 9-10. i think the dinner menus are much better than the lunch menus, so i was wondering if maybe we could eat our lunch at 4 using the dinner menu, and then dinner at the latest available reservation.

oh and one last, and please forgive me if my question may sound stupid =p, can i order off the dinner menu when they're still serving lunch? has anyone tried this?

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can TRY to eat an early dinner at 4 and a late dinner at 9-10 - but simply because those are the restaurant's hours doesn't necessarily mean you will be able to get reservations for those times.

And you can ask for dinner items at lunch, but it's extremely possible they won't be prepped.